


A Christmas Wish

by a_very_smol_frog



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:15:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28199007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_very_smol_frog/pseuds/a_very_smol_frog
Summary: Every year, Hinata goes to his grandparent's Christmas party dateless, and has to deal with his family pestering him about being single. This year he decides to bring a fake date, but somehow that date ends up being his co-worker (and crush) Kageyama. Now he has to spend the evening pretending to be in a relationship he desperately wishes was real. Will his Christmas wish come true this time?
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 28
Kudos: 185
Collections: Kagehina Big Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AH! I'm so excited that I finally get to share this! I've been working on this since October and have had a blast! I am posting chapters 1 and 2 today but there will be an epilogue so stay tuned!
> 
> I want to give a BIG thank you to all the other creators participating in the KageHina Big Bang. All of your support, advice, and kindness made this event so much fun <3
> 
> Thank you to [ainu](https://twitter.com/ainudraws) for being such an amazing partner to work with and for your beautiful art <3
> 
> And thank you to [aspen](https://twitter.com/senkusIut) for taking the time out of your busy schedule to beta for me!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading and PLEASE go read all of the amazing fics that my new friends have written!!!

The streets were filled with twinkling lights, jolly music, and flashing ads trying to lure in last minute shoppers with their slashed prices. It was the time of year where you were supposed to feel light hearted and full of cheer. Couples walked down the frosty streets, wrapped around each other, sharing heartfelt confessions that thawed the chill between them. 

As a child, Hinata had been enamoured with the magical atmosphere that surrounded Christmas, but now that he had become an adult he had mixed feelings about the holiday. He enjoyed being with the ones he cherished, finding the perfect gift for them, and he really  _ really  _ **_really_ ** **_really_ ** loved all the food. What he did not love was his family’s constant nagging about his current relationship status: single. 

_ Every year _ his grandparents hosted the whole family at their home, and  _ every year _ his sister and all of his cousins brought their significant others while he spent the entire night being pestered by his aunties on why he hadn’t settled down yet. He was only 26, but they acted like he was one stray cat away from becoming a spinster. 

He only fed two stray cats right now but it wasn’t like he went looking for them or anything! They just showed up and looked so thin and well  _ obviously _ he had to give them something, and it wasn’t his fault they kept showing up, but that's besides the point! He isn’t becoming an old cat man dammit.

Like clockwork, after the holiday season was over they began to bombard him with blind dates telling him each time  _ ‘He is just perfect for you’ _ or  _ ‘She is the one. I can feel it.’ _ . It was like watching a car crash or a train wreck or some middle aged woman on the dance floor after 10 shots too many. Long story short, they always ended up  _ terrible _ . 

After a string of particularly bad dates a few years ago, Nishinoya had created a point system based on the terrible things his date could do and they would all bet on how many points the date would wrack up. The person who got the closest number was treated to mochi. 

Now first of all, Hinata would like to acknowledge that he did not want to make fun of these people. Everyone deserves happiness, and he truly believed that there was a person out there for everyone, but that person was in no way, shape, or form him. 

The absolute worst date he had ever had was a woman his great aunt had set him up with last year. She was something like a legend in his friend group, and everytime they told her epic it grew more grandiose. They all lovingly referred to her as The Moon Goddess Egg Lady. 

Over their text messages she seemed normal, but after this incident Hinata had learned the hard way that online personas can be deceiving. They had arranged to meet at a local botanical garden. It was March, and winter frost had finally begun to thaw — fresh flowers poked through the soil and breathed new life into the once barren landscape.

At first glance she was unassuming. She wore a baby blue sundress and had cute little cat earrings. Her hair was braided down her back — Hinata remembered it was black but the tips were dyed magenta. 

They weaved their way through the various greenhouses making small talk, and that is when things started to go horribly, horribly wrong (or right if you asked Noya). 

First, she began to tell Hinata in great detail about how she was not in fact a human, but a vessel for a moon cat goddess, and one day when the goddess deemed fit, she would be called upon and leave the mortal plane of existence to ascend to the heavens. He wouldn’t be able to come with her of course, but she would watch over him while he mourned her absence.

Then, she pulled out her phone and showed him pictures of her — wait for it — 13 cats. All of them were named after her favorite characters in BL manga. She also promised Hinata that she would send him the names of her favorites so he could study on how to be a proper boyfriend. 

But the most bizarre and startling part of the whole date didn’t come until after these conversations. As they exited one of the greenhouses, Hinata saw a crepe stand and thought if her mouth was full of pastry she couldn’t continue to tell him about the intricacies of the top and bottom dynamics in BL — little did he know he was about to make a horrifying discovery on this already disaster of a date. 

_ “Hey there is a crepe cart over there, would you like to get a snack? Their green tea crepes are crazy good.” Akari looked up at him, brown eyes blinking. Her gaze shifted over to the red and black cart for a few moments before moving back to him.  _

_ “That stuff is full of so much sugar and GMOs. I have a much better snack in my bag.” Hinata could only watch in horror as she proceeded to ruffle through her bag before pulling out a gallon sandwich bag full of hard boiled eggs.  _

_ “These are from cage free chickens who were fed a vegan diet. As a vessel for a goddess I have to make sure to only provide my body with the best nutrients. The moon mistress would be very upset with me if I ate any of that processed human food.”  _

After that Hinata texted Tanaka and Noya a CODE RED. They called him, and in the most pitiful voices possible told him that they had gotten horrible food poisoning and needed him to take them to the hospital (complete with sound effects that Hinata prayed came from some kind of fart soundboard app, but with those two he could never be certain). 

The ruse worked and he threw himself into the nearest cab with promises to get in touch. A week later he received a text from her telling him that while she enjoyed their date, after a long discussion with the moon cat goddess, they determined that he was not her perfect mate. She wished him the best of luck and told him not to take it too hard; it wasn’t him ,  it was her. 

Needless to say, after that Hinata had sworn off blind dates for the rest of his life. He would meet someone eventually, but right now he was in a good spot in his career and didn’t have the time to invest in a partner. Sure, it was lonely some nights but being in a relationship wouldn’t necessarily change that. He wanted to be with someone because he actually saw a future with them — not because he was tired of being alone. The right person would come along eventually, and he was willing to wait. 

Plus, he was already surrounded with a group of friends whom he could always rely on through thick and thin. Currently, at this very moment, Hinata couldn’t tell if they were standing on the thick side of the line or the thin one. To be fair, he was so drunk he was having a difficult time standing in general. Actually, he was sitting, but that was still a difficult task in its own right. 

He, Noya, Tanaka, and Kenma were all washing away the worries of another week slaving away to capitalism at their favorite bar downtown. There was a special on mint flavored drinks tonight, and Hinata enjoyed the fluorescent — bordering on nuclear — green color of his drink. 

“Shouyou, you got a text from your mom. It’s the details for your grandparent’s Christmas party this year. She wants you to bring brownies.” It took Hinata a few moments to completely comprehend the sentence; he was easily distracted by the word brownies and now amazing they would be when paired with his cocktail — it was aptly called a Grinch. 

“Noooooooooo!” He threw his head back with a whine, adding a dramatic flare by kicking his feet under the table. 

“S’the matta?” Tanaka and Noya’s attention had been pulled away from their conversation over the sex of Santa’s reindeer, and they now focused on Hinata and his pouting. Tanaka had stated that they were all female due to having their antlers during winter, but Noya cited the Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer movie and how all the deer were males in the film. Thus, leading them onto a long drunken conversation over if the genes that allowed flight also manipulated antler retention. Being friends with two ecologists often lead down this path.

“My gr”  _ hic  _ “parnts Christmas party is”  _ hic _ “comin up nd’I ”  _ hic _ “don’t wanna deal with all the dumb dates.” Hinata was already dreading being forced to give up his precious weekends to appease his family’s relentless pestering. 

“DUDE I HAVE THE BEST IDEA EVER.” Even over the din of the bar Noya’s shouting was loud. Kenma flinched at the outburst and shot the other man a hard glare before hunkering down further in his seat and refocusing on his PSP. He never drank when they went out, but he valued Hinata’s safety. The last time he had stayed home his best friend had tried to take a picture with a stray cat to send to him and ended up in the emergency room with six stitches. Now every other Friday Kenma braved the masses and accompanied them to the bars.

“Just bring a fake date!” The solution was simple when you looked at it on the surface. It would allow Hinata to escape the clutches of his family’s attempts to set himself up with someone, while simultaneously not having to put in the actual effort to maintain the relationship, but there was just one tiny, minuscule, microscopic problem — Hinata didn’t have anyone he could bring.

“Dude” Tanaka looked over at Noya and cupped his face in his palms. “Noya you are the smartest person alive. I am best friends with a genius.” Tanaka clapped Noya on the back and they toasted to the statement, sloshing a bit of their beer onto the table. 

“But I don’t have anyone to brinnggggggggg.” Hinata reverted back to his childish antics and threw his head into his arms on the table. 

His family knew Kenma, Noya, and Tanaka already, and it would be difficult to claim they were dating and then try to create some elaborate lie to explain why they were suddenly just friends again come spring. 

He couldn’t just ask some stranger. Most people had plans with their own families on Christmas, and trying to find someone to accompany him for the party a week before the holiday was a task of Olympic proportions. 

The cool wood of the table felt good against his forehead, and allowed him to take a moment and clear the foggy alcohol induced haze in his brain. He let his mind wander, and he thought about who he would like to ask to be his fake date. 

It was as cliqué as they come; Hinata asking his crush to be in a pretend relationship with him, but at the end of the night they discover that their feelings are anything but fake, and hand in hand they walk into the sunset. Sadly, Hinata’s life was not a cheesy 90’s romcom, and he would probably end the evening full of food and alcohol but still very much alone. There would also be a disappointing lack of Heath Ledger present. 

“I would ask Kageyama,” he mumbles to no one in particular. His drunk brain telling him that the universe needs to know who he would like to be the Nick Mercer to his Kat Ellis.

Kageyama was also a sports journalist for the magazine Hinata worked for. They had started around the same time, and at the beginning, their relationship only consisted of their bitter rivalry and disdain for each other. Then, they were partnered together to travel to South Korea and report on a women’s volleyball tournament happening there. They discovered their mutual love for the sport and managed to sneak into one of the gyms after they had been closed for the night. 

After hours of tossing and spiking, they each returned to Tokyo with a new found respect for the other, and their rivalry transformed from wanting to see eachother fail to using the other as the fuel to race towards their own success. 

It also didn’t hurt that Hinata got to stare at Kageyama sweaty and dressed in shorts and a tight tank top for several hours.

Needless to say, he went from dreading every moment they were forced to spend together, to enjoying the other man’s company immensely. Now, Hinata had to walk the thin line between friendly but not overly friendly whenever he was around Kageyama.

“Issn’t he that really growly guy you work with? Why would you want to ask him?” Noya slurred. 

“He’s only growly sometimes...welllllll okay he’s growly alotta the time but then he”  _ hic _ “he is really nice sometimes too, in his like own way. And he is so hot”  _ hic _ “God his abs. I just I just wanna lick’em.” Kenma let out an exasperated sigh next to him and set down his PSP, but before he could say anything, a blonde woman with mischief in her eyes and Jell-o shots in her hands came up to the table. 

Deep _deep_ ** _deep_** down sober Hinata was screaming that nothing good was going to come from this interaction, but drunk Hinata was currently distracted by the prospect of a treat.

“Hello, boys! I brought presents!” Her voice was too cheerful even for this time of year —full of pure glee as she sat two shots down in front of each of them. Like the rest of the bar, they were themed for the season and in the shape of Christmas trees: little festive Trojan horses. The Jell-o shots swayed tantalizingly in the dim neon light of the bar —sweet on the surface but paving the road to a morning full of misery. They were the dumbest men alive making a deal with a crossroads demon, and Saeko’s grin grew sharp and wicked as she watched them take the little plastic cups into their hands. 

“These are on the house so enjoy yourselves!” Kenma reached out to try and stop Hinata’s hands, but in five seconds flat he had scooped both of the shots into his mouth and swallowed them down in one gulp. Kenma closed his eyes, and took a  _ very _ long deep breath, gathering his mental fortitude. Saeko wore the expression of a proud sister, and gave Hinata a few hearty claps on the back. 

“This is why you’re my favorite!” 

“What?! I’m your brother though!” Saeko rolled her eyes at Tanaka. 

“I’m forced to tolerate you, but being my baby bro doesn’t grant you automatic favoritism. That's nepotism.” Tanaka choked on the Jell-o shot he had just begun to swallow down. 

“Isn’t that like...liking dead bodies? I donno where you got that idea sis, but I like my ladies hot both physically, and like temperature wise.” Saeko stared at her brother and let out a snort.

“God you’re an idiot. I’m leaving now! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she sang.

“Didn’t you accidentally end up in Dubai after a party while you were in college?” Saeko flashed Noya a kilowatt smile and gave him a wink.

“Exactly.” Before she left, Saeko gave Hinata a pat on the head and leaned over to give Tanaka a fat wet kiss on his cheek, staining the skin with her cherry red lipstick. 

Hinata sat watching his friends, but everything in the bar was fuzzy around the edges. He felt light almost floaty, but no matter how hard he forced himself into his seat the world wouldn’t stop spinning around him. 

“K-Kenma”  _ hic _ “I th-think I wanna go home.” Kenma had already begun gathering their things to leave at the first syllable of his name. 

“I’m going to use the restroom and then we can go.  **_Do not_ ** leave this spot Shouyou.” He hopped off his stool and weaved his way through the crowd towards the back of the bar. Hinata watched his two toned hair bob through the sea of people until he disappeared. 

“H”  _ hic _ “Hinata you should ask that guy. Whassit they say? You don’t make 100% of what you don’t venture?” Noya clumsily reached out and grasped Hinata’s phone that was sitting in Kenma’s vacant seat and slid it across the table. 

“He he is right ya know. Noya is a  _ genius _ .” Hinata looked down at his phone, his head swimming. He thought about the terrible dates, spending hours dodging his family at the party, and the guilt for doing so. He thought about Kageyama, and how he nibbled on his lip when he was focused on editing —how  the glasses he had to wear for reading now never failed to make Hinata’s heart stutter in his chest.

“I’m gonna do it,” Hinata declared. Tanaka and Noya both cheered in unison as he fumbled with his homescreen until he finally keyed in the correct numbers to open it. 

A few clicks later he was in his messaging app and staring at the text thread shared between him and Kageyama, whom he had listed under the name “ _ Bakeyama'' on _ his phone. It was all strictly professional on Kageyama’s end, but Hinata loved to fill his messages with kaomogies and far too many exclamation points. 

_ Bakeyama i hace a Cjristmaz party ans i need a date. Will u pretens to b my botfreend? _

Confident that his message clearly and concisely stated what he needed, Hinata pressed send with zero hesitation. As he did so, Kenma returned to the table. Golden eyes flickered down at the phone in Hinata’s hands and then back up at the triumphant smile on his friend’s face.

“My job is to get you home safe, that's it. Any stupid things you do are your own fault,” he deadpanned. With steady hands Kenma helped Hinata off the barstool.

“Issnot stupid! Yamayama is gonna pretend to be my boyfriend.” The second Hinata’s legs were on the floor they betrayed him — knees buckling — but thankfully Kenma had braced for this and took the brunt of Hinata’s weight against his back. He grabbed Hinata’s arms and looped them around his neck — half carrying and half dragging Hinata out of the bar after waving Noya and Tanaka farewell. 

Hinata didn’t remember the cab ride home, nor did he remember Kenma helping him drink some water and change into sleep clothes. 

He did however, very clearly remember why they did not go out when Saeko was the bartender the next morning. 

His head was throbbing, no more like stabbing the back of his eye sockets. Slowly, he tried to sit up, very quickly realized his error, and only had a few precious moments to lean over the bed and vomit into the well placed trashcan Kenma had the foresight to bring in last night.

After that his stomach felt somewhat better, but his headache had increased tenfold. Even with the curtains drawn, the sun seemed to focus all of its energy directly into his window just to spite him. He reached out and grabbed the aspirin and water bottle he knew would be on his nightstand and swallowed them in one quick gulp. 

Kenma was the most amazing friend on the planet. Hinata was going to have to buy him a hundred apple pies, or maybe that new headset he had casually mentioned last night at dinner. 

There was some scheme nestled in that discovery that Hinata should be peeved about, but he found it difficult to spare energy on anything but actively trying to not die. 

Despite the fact that he was paying for it now, Hinata smiled as he remembered — albeit was a little foggy in some places — last night. It was fun to get together and just let go every once and awhile. Tanaka and Noya had the energy to keep up with him, and together the trio always made sure the night was one for the record books. But considering how he felt now, maybe it was time to come to terms with the fact that he was aging, and couldn’t wake up after a bender with nothing more than bad breath and terrible decisions that would one day turn into hilarious stories. 

After a few moments of laying with his head buried in the pillow the aspirin had worked its magic and began to take the edge off of Hinata’s headache. He braved opening a single eye to locate his phone that was plugged into the charger next to him. 

Fine. Apple pie and the headset. And throw in a million apologies with that.

He grabbed his phone and several text notifications lit up his screen. The first few were from his group chat with Tanaka and Noya. He had to decode the drunk ramblings, but eventually was able to transcribe the drunk hyroglifics.

_ Tel us whst hr saus!  _

Hinata looked at the text confused. What who says? 

The next text was a single text from Kageyama. Hinata stared at it and felt ice cold dread wash away the drunk grogginess that came after a night of drunk sleeping. Vaguely, he remembered discussing bringing a fake date to his grandparent’s Christmas party and throwing in Kageyama’s name out as a potential contender. 

There may have been talk of his abs? Was this conversation before or after Saeko had stopped by with the accursed Jello-o shots? 

It’s okay. It’s probably just a text asking for him to proofread an article, or checking in to see if he had transcripted the recording of the interview they did with that Spanish tennis player last week. He didn’t remember ever sending Kageyama a text, and there was no way Kenma would let him do something as stupid as ask his coworker to be his pretend boyfriend. 

No. No. No. Everything was fine. 

Hinata opened the text. 

Everything was not fine. Actually, if the world could open up a blackhole in his bed that would be great. Or maybe a localized earthquake that only hit his room. Literally anything was preferable to the short conversation he saw on the screen. 

The first was his terrible excuse of a text asking Kageyama in the first place, providing no context or reasoning whatsoever. 

The second, and probably the more startling of the two, was Kageyama’s short single worded reply. 

_ Sure. _

Hinata closed the app and then reopened it. Then, he tried restarting his phone but when it blinked back to life the same four letters were still staring back at him. 

He threw his blankets onto the floor and stomped out of his room and into the one adjacent to it. Kenma was still curled up asleep in bed — the comforter pulled around him like a cocoon. Two amber eyes slitted open as the space was suddenly flooded full of light from the open door. 

“Why did you let me text him?! I thought you were my friend,” Hinata wailed. Kenma shot him an exasperated ,  and completely unsympathetic, look before rolling over so his face was one again in the dark. 

“My job is to get you home that's it. Any stupid things you do are your own fault. Now close my door.” Hinata gave a defeated sigh, but did as he was told. Kenma was right, he was already humoring Hinata by going out with them. It wasn’t his friend’s job to babysit him every time he decided to go drinking. 

Hinata slinked his way into the kitchen, and hoped that by brewing a pot of the strongest coffee possible he’d be able to jumpstart his brain and think of a way out of this situation. 

He couldn’t take Kageyama as a fake date. It was wrong to lie to both his family and Kageyama. The entire night he would have to pretend to be in a relationship he was claiming not to want, when in reality, he desperately yearned for it to be real. 

Plus, they were coworkers, and now that they had set their petty feud aside they made a damn good team. All of their recent projects had been flagged by the higher-ups for outstanding quality, and they were steadily being assigned to more illustrious games to report on. 

Hinata couldn’t jeopardize that.

His phone buzzed. It was his grandmother. 

_ Hi sweetie! I know your mother texted you about the party last night, but I wanted to check and see if you were bringing anyone special this year. I was looking through our photo album and it is always so sad to see you alone in them. I hope I can add +1 to your name this year! _

Hinata closed his eyes, and let out a deep sigh. He allowed himself approximately 5 seconds to think before he clicked on Kageyama’s contact info, and pressed the call button. It rang three times before the other end of the receiver clicked to life. 

“How are you feeling dumbass?” There was a playful lilt to Kageyama’s tone. It helped ease the knot of anxiety in Hinata’s chest that the other man would be repulsed or angry with him. 

Granted, Kageyama did say yes, so maybe he shouldn’t have been nervous in the first place. 

“Listen, it’s my grandparent’s Christmas party and they always give me a lot of shit for never bringing anyone and I’m over it. There will be tons of food and booze. I’ll pay for your train tickets, and I’ll transcribe all the interviews for December. Deal?” 

The other end of the line stayed silent for a few moments, and Hinata felt his palms start to sweat. Maybe Kageyama was actually disgusted with him and had only been trying to play a game with him last night. Maybe he just expected for it to be a mistaken drunk text and for Hinata to never bring it up again. 

Had he just bulldozed straight through the shaky foundation of their new friendship?

Had he ruined everything?

“Sure.”

A single syllable. The same four letters as the text. It was simple,blunt, and right on brand for Kageyama. 

“This is a terrible idea.” Hinata wasn’t sure if he was hearing things, or if there was a faint chuckle on the other end of the receiver. 

“All of your ideas are terrible dumbass.” 

Yeah, there was no way they were going to be able to convince his family that they were in love. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Okay, do you remember what we went over?” Kageyama let out a long groan at Hinata’s question. The pair were in a taxi on their way to Hinata’s grandparent’s house from the train station, and for the entire 9 hour train ride there Hinata had been pestering him about if he was prepared. 

“Yes, Hin-... _Shou,_ I remember. We’ve only gone over it a hundred times.” Hinata could feel his anxiety mounting as the scenery outside the window grew more and more familiar. They only had about 5 minutes left before they made it to their destination. 

“Everything has to go perfect or they won’t believe us!” 

After Kageyama had agreed to Hinata’s scheme, the two of them sat down and concocted a seemingly believable story of how their relationship began. 

It hadn’t been too difficult to come up with something; they just took the truth and sprinkled in a few fabrications. They met at work—the _truth_ —and didn’t really get along for a while—also the _truth_ —until they went to Korea for the women’s volleyball tournament—again the _truth_. Then, they came up with a generic story about how slowly they grew closer, one thing led to another, drinks turned into dinner, which turned into something more and then **_boom:_** relationship. 

It definitely wasn’t a romance that rivaled the Korean dramas his grandmother loved to watch, but Hinata hoped it was enough to fool her and his aunties into thinking the relationship was genuine.

The taxi stopped. Hinata took one last deep breath. This was it. Their last few moments of peace before they stepped into the storm. It was sink or swim from now on.

“Thank you, again, for doing this,” Hinata said softly. 

He still didn’t completely understand why Kageyama was cooperating in this crazy scheme. Surely, the other man had better things he could be doing on Christmas Eve than pretending to be his coworker’s boyfriend and helping him lie to his entire family. 

Kageyama clicked his tongue. 

“You’re helping me too dumbass. You said you’d talk to Ukai and get us assigned to the men's volleyball national tournament. That’s a huge game to report on.” Hinata let out a soft laugh. 

Right. 

Kageyama was doing this because Hinata had promised to help him at work, _not_ because he had any semblance of a crush on him. No, that feeling was entirely one sided. 

The pair hauled their luggage out of the back of the cab and started the trek up the long driveway to Hinata’s grandparent’s house. 

“Holy shit,” Kageyama breathed as the minka came into view. 

“You didn’t tell me that your family was loaded!” Hinata couldn’t help but laugh. 

The estate was large; the main house was a traditional japanese style home with three stories with wide engawa running along the perimeter. That’s where the party was being held, but several smaller buildings sat farther back. Traditionally, those were used to house servants, but now that’s where guests stayed, or they were used as elite hide and seek locations by the kids. 

The vast gardens surrounding the houses were immaculate, full of pristinely manicured bushes and trees, several koi ponds, and an intricate gazebo—the family even had their own private onsen.

“This property has been with my family for generations. It's not that huge.” Hinata remembered being taken to parties when he was younger that were hosted in western styled houses. Now _those_ estates were huge.

Kageyama scoffed, and was no doubt about to snap back with a sarcastic remark, but was interrupted by someone yelling Hinata’s name from the house. 

“Shouyou!” A young woman with hair that was the same sunset hue as Hinata’s bounced through one of the sliding doors—running down the main path to the house and throwing herself into the man’s arms. 

“Natsu it's freezing! You should be inside,” he chastised, but there was no bite in his voice. The pair separated, trading bright smiles with each other. Natsu’s gaze turned to Kageyama, and she thrust out a hand to greet him.

“Hiya! You must be Kageyama-kun. I’m Natsu, Shou’s younger sister.” With some hesitation Kageyama reached out and shook the young woman’s hand. 

“Hello, Natsu-chan,” he said tensely. Natsu giggled at Kageyama’s robotic mannerisms.

“Oh they’re gonna have so much fun with you. Shou’s never brought anyone to meet the family before. You’ve been all they could talk about for weeks!” Kageyama’s face blanched; his gaze darted down to look at Hinata, widened a little with panic. 

“Natsu, shut up and stop trying to freak him out! Tobio, come on, let’s go put our stuff in the guest house.” Hinata reached out and grabbed Kageyama’s hand—feeling a slight prickle of anxiety in his chest as he did so. 

They had discussed PDA before they came, realizing it would be weird if they didn’t touch at all throughout the night. Both of them agreed that hand holding, arms around the waist, and small kisses anywhere but the lips were okay, but had devised a code if the physical contact got to be too much. Two quick taps to the skin meant that they needed space and the other knew to back off. 

Kageyama’s grip around his hand tightened, and he followed Hinata down one of the winding paths up to one of the smaller guest houses. The floors were lined with soft tatami mats and a large plush futon was laid out for them in one of the back bedrooms. 

Hinata had many memories of running around the estate with his sister and cousins-- hiding in all of the small nooks and crannies. His summers had been full of light filtering in through the windows and laughter echoing throughout the garden. 

“Are you doing okay?” Hinata asked hesitantly. 

Kageyama remained silent. Hinata sat his luggage down and walked over to the other man. He started to reach out to comfort him but stopped short. They weren’t in front of his family ,so there was no need for him to touch Kageyama.

This was pretend. He repeated the mantra in his head over and over. 

“Yea...I just uh...it's a lot different standing here than it was when we talked about it in your kitchen.” Hinata offered him a small smile. 

“I know, but just stick close to me and I’ll make sure they don’t bother you too much. If at any point it gets to be too much, just tell me and we’ll come back here.” Kageyama was doing him a huge favor, and Hinata wanted to make sure the other man never felt any discomfort throughout the night. 

Kageyama closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. 

“Yeah, okay. Let’s go do this.” Kageyama reached out a hand to him. Hinata stopped and stared for a moment before lacing their fingers together. He tried to push down the fluttering feeling in his stomach as they walked out of the guest house together. 

This was Kageyama doing him a favor as a _friend_ —nothing more. 

Hinata needed to make sure that his own feelings didn’t cloud his judgement tonight. After this, they would go back to being strictly coworkers—maybe friends—but anything past that was reserved for Hinata’s daydreams. Hinata knew Kageyama didn’t feel the same about him, and trying to push his feelings onto him would be selfish. 

This was an act. 

Slowly, they made their way back to the main house. The sounds of jubilant laughter and chatter could be heard through the sliding doors. 

Hinata stopped outside the entryway of the house—giving Kageyama one last look—one last opportunity to back out. Kageyama just gave his hand a quick squeeze, and a small nod of assurance, before reaching out and opening the door. 

They were hit with a wave of warm air heated by the bodies packed into the rooms. All conversation stopped when the pair made themselves visible, and everyone turned to look at them. Hinata felt his anxiety stirr in his chest—condensing into a heavy ball that sunk to the bottom of his stomach. 

“Shouyou!” A small wrinkly woman weaved her way through the crowd to them. Somehow she was shorter than Hinata—making her practically microscoping standing next to Kageyama. She looked up at them both with a bright smile that spread across her cheeks and lit up the air around her. Kageyama knew that she was Hinata’s grandmother instantly. 

“Come in, boys come in! You’re letting out the warm air.” Boney hands reached out and grabbed them both—dragging them into the building—and then closing the door firmly behind them. Hinata was immediately pulled into a rib crushing hug. Her small wrinkled figure was misleading, and even at 78 the woman had some _umph_ left in her.

“Hi, Grandma. It’s nice to see you.” Hinata pressed a chaste kiss to each of his grandmother’s cheeks. The small woman then turned away from her grandson and gazed up at Kageyama. She had the same eyes as Hinata—a rich caramel brown that was full of light and had a spark of mischief. Kageyama bent down to greet her with a bow. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you Hinata-sama.” She laughed—it was bright and loud and echoed like sunshine yellow boots splashing in the summer rain. She reached out and pulled a startled Kageyama into a warm hug. He stood rigid with shock for a few moments before hesitantly wrapping his arms around her delicate frame. 

“Call me Grandma or Miko. It is so nice to meet you Kageyama-kun. I was so worried my dear grandson was never going to bring someone to meet me before I died.” Hinata rolled his eyes at his grandmother’s theatrics. She pulled away from Kageyama, but kept her hands on his shoulders—eyes squinting as they roamed over his figure. 

Kageyama looked over at Hinata nervously. 

“Shou you’ve got good taste. He’s quite the looker. If I was 50 years younger I’d climb you like a tree.” Miko let out a snicker as both of the men’s faces flushed bright red. She reached out and pinched them on the cheeks, before turning away and walking back towards the party. 

“Come on you two! The booze isn’t going to drink itself,” she sang.

Kageyama stood wide eyed, watching Miko as she disappeared back into the crowd. 

“Climb me like a tree,” he muttered weakly. 

Hinata flashed him a pitied look, but couldn’t hide his snicker behind his palm. He reached out and rubbed soothing circles on Kageyama’s back. 

“I told you that she's….a lot. But it looks like you passed her test! So the hardest part is over now.” At least he hoped it was. No one was ever certain what was going on in his grandmother’s brain—the woman was always scheming. 

The pair linked hands once again, and Hinata led them deeper into the house. The main room was full of people; his aunts, uncles, and cousins were all seated at various kotatsus and tables, sharing stories and laughter over food and drinks. 

Hinata spotted his parents and sister sequestered away together in one of the corners, and decided that that would be the safest place to be for now. Natsu noticed them as they walked over and excitedly waved. She was snuggled up against her long term boyfriend Goshiki, who gave them both courteous nod as they approached. 

When they had first started dating Hinata had given Goshiki the shovel talk, and much to his glee, Goshiki still feared him just a _teeny_ bit. Nastu had asked both of them what had been said, but one sharp glare from Hinata had Goshiki’s lips locked, and Hinata would just smile sweetly at his dear baby sister and tell her not to worry. 

“Shouyou, sweetie. Come sit!” His mother’s eyes twinkled as Hinata and Kageyama walked over to them. 

“Mom, Dad, this is Kageyama, my boyfriend.” The words felt slimy coming off of his tongue. He hated lying to them like this, especially after he watched their faces light up as they welcomed Kageyama with open arms. 

After they sat and talked for a while, Hinata allowed himself to relax. Everything was going off without a hitch. Their practiced speeches and talking points were working flawlessly. Kageyama stumbled a bit in the beginning due to his nerves, but it didn’t take him long to relax, and soon he was talking with Hinata’s Dad like they had been friends for years. 

It made Hinata’s chest tighten—seeing Kageyama throw his head back and laugh at some corny joke his Dad said. He fit in so well; it was almost like Kageyama _belonged_ here with him. 

Hinata brushed the thought aside before it had time to take root. 

_No_.

“I-I’m going to go get a drink. Does anyone want anything while I’m up?” Kageyama turned his attention away from Hinata’s Dad and looked up at him—tears pooling in the corners of his eyes from laughter. His smile was bright like a star on top of a Christmas tree, glittering like the lights nestled in the evergreen branches. His cheeks were a bit rosey from the alcohol, and Hinata knew he needed to get out of there now if he wanted his heart to survive the evening. 

“Oh I’ll come with you sweetie!” His Mom hopped up from her seat and grabbed Hinata’s arm—also snagging Natsu’s on the way—and she dragged both of her children into the kitchen. A gaggle of his aunties and cousins were in there gossipping over the charcuterie, but all of them paused when Hinata stepped into the room. 

He gulped; it felt like he was a lamb that was thrown into a pack of hungry wolves and left for slaughter. 

“Hinata Shouyou, I can’t believe you hid Kageyama from us so long! He’s darling sweetie. I’m so happy for you.” His Mom wrapped him in a warm hug, and Hinata wished he could melt into the floor. 

Part of him wished he would have just come alone—they would have pestered him—but at least they wouldn’t have looked at him like this, with hope and happiness flooding their gaze. 

“So what was your first date like,” his mother asked. 

Everyone turned to look at him—their eyes were wide and starry as they waited for Hinata to wax poetically about his new budding romance. 

“It wasn’t really a date, _per say_ , but we snuck into a volleyball court and played together while we were working in Korea. Kageyama was a setter in highschool and I was a spiker, so it was easy for us to fall into a rhythm.” As Hinata spoke about that night, the memories of feeling free and flying high rushed back to him. He felt his heart skip a beat just at the _thought_ of being able to hit one of Kageyama’s sets again. 

Their first few attempts at a spike were rocky, but then something just _clicked,_ and after that every toss, every spike, every movement, was in perfect sync. When one person moved, the other followed on instinct. They didn’t need to utter a single word to understand each other. 

It was effortless. 

“He was amazing that night.” Hinata jumped slightly when he heard Kageyama’s voice and felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. 

“I’d already seen how hard Shouyou pushes himself because we work together. He’s always got this hunger in his eyes and he’s got this _drive_ to take one more step, push just a little longer, go a centimeter further, no matter what. But on the court….he’s something else.” Hinata felt his heart leap into his throat and lodge itself there. 

It wasn’t fair how Kageyama looked at him—gazing at him like he cradled the world in his palms. It wasn’t fair because this wasn’t real; Hinata’s traitorous mind kept reminding him, but when Kageyama’s hand came up to brush a stray hair out of his eyes, Hinata couldn’t help but wonder. What if it could be?

Suddenly, Kageyama’s arm around his shoulders felt like a weight pushing him into the ground. The air felt stifling, and all the voices pounded against his skull. 

Why had he done this? 

Belatedly, he realized that he would much rather have dealt with his family, instead of the acidic burn of guilt pulsing through the chambers of his heart and washing through his veins. 

Hinata knew they all meant well with their constant pestering about his love life. His family was seemingly blessed by the gods, because everyone was madly in love, and that love never seemed to fade as the years ticked by. His grandparents still slow danced together—staring as lovingly into each other’s eyes as they did on their wedding day. 

He truly was the black sheep in that regard, but that was why he didn’t want to rush things. The pressure of finding a love as strong as the rest of his family had was intense. When surrounded by picture perfect relationships on all sides, it made the task of finding his own person even more daunting. 

And, what made everything even worse was that he knew who he wanted his one person to be. Throughout the night Hinata watched Kageyama seamlessly blend in with his family. They walked around together so Hinata could introduce him to everyone, and immediately they were all smitten. 

Hinata watched from the sidelines as the man of his dreams—the person _pretending_ to be his boyfriend — floated through the rooms like he owned them. Constantly, Hinata was being pulled aside and congratulated on finding such a wonderful partner, and how happy they all were that he had found someone so _good_. 

Hinata had been blessed all his life with reliable people. His friends and family were amazing—always supporting him in whatever way they could—but he had never had a _partner_ before. Someone who stood next to him and pushed him to be better, while simultaneously holding him up when he couldn’t be more. Someone to fill in the gaps and strengthen what was already there. As they had gotten to know each other better, Hinata couldn’t help but wonder if that person could ever be Kageyama. 

Kageyamawas a bit of a loner, he found it difficult to trust those around him and rely on others, and instead tried to do everything by himself. At first ,Hinata had found him pompous and annoying, but after digging a little deeper, he understood that it wasn’t because Kageyama felt like he was better than everyone else but because he was scared. If he only relied on himself then he left no room for others to hurt him. 

Slowly, Hinata had wiggled his way into Kageyama’s space, and now that the pair worked with each other instead of against, they had become a powerful force. Somehow they were just able to read each other—moving forward to the next step without any prompting. Perfectly in sync. 

Their chief editor Ukai liked to call them the demon duo. They were ruthlessly thorough and competitive, using their creativity, drive, and adaptability to get inside stories and approach things from new angles. The journal they worked for had seen a significant uptick in sales since they had been partnered together as a team, and it was no surprise to Hinata. 

When he worked with Kageyama things just felt right. They were an extension of each other, and together they could propel themselves to the top. 

Hinata still wanted to beat him of course, but he had begun to look at Kageyama as an ally and not just as an enemy. And now, sitting in his Grandma’s kitchen, he looked at him and wanted so much more. 

It was difficult to not daydream about this act of theirs becoming real. Hinata pictured Kageyama at birthday parties and Sunday dinners. He imagined what it would be like to kiss Kageyama just because he wanted to, and not to keep up some silly act. 

It made his chest ache. Kageyama was having no difficulty following their plan because that's all it was to him—an _act_. Hinata had to constantly remind himself that the fantasies in his head would only remain that.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Miko began to shoo everyone out of the kitchen and into the living room. It was tradition for them to all toast the intangible gifts they have been blessed with over the year and count down to midnight—where they would then wish for their happiness to linger with them one more year. 

The wine was helping dull the tight constricting feeling around Hinata’s heart as he sat on the couch next to Kageyama, while the latter was discussing something with one of his uncles. Apparently, they had attended the same university, and were discussing what had changed on campus during the decades his uncle had been away. 

Kageyama’s arm was slug loosely across Hinata’s shoulders, a warm secure weight that pulled him into the taller man’s side. Hinata could feel his chest rumble with laughter as he spoke, and the vibrations allowed his alcohol muddled brain to drift somewhere between fantasy and reality. In the warmth of Kageyama’s embrace Hinata could almost allow himself to believe that this was real.

It was selfish to allow himself to indulge, but what were humans if not greedy?

A loud cough gathered everyone’s attention to the front of the room where a very fidgety Goshiki stood. 

“Um, hi hello, I just had a few things I wanted to say as we approach midnight.” He licked his lips nervously and stared down at the glass of wine in his hand. 

“Ever since the first time Natsu brought me to meet you all, I have felt welcomed. I always tell her that when we started dating I didn’t just gain a girlfriend, I gained a family.” There were a few aws from several of Hinata’s aunties that had had one glass too many. 

“And I am so grateful for how warmly you have all welcomed me. So I would like to raise a glass to you all. The world needs more people like this family.” Hinata raised his drink and gave a soft cheers. Goshinki downed the rest of his drink in one large gulp and then turned to Natsu.

“Natsu, everyday I get the pleasure of experiencing that same kindness and warmth with you. In the morning I wake up next to you and I think “What the hell did I do to deserve this?” What did I do to deserve you?” A dopey smile spread across his face as he gazed at her—his eyes full of nothing but adoration. 

“I don’t know, and I’m not sure if I ever will, but I will always be grateful.” A wide grin split across Natsu’s face, and she stared at Goshinki like he hung the moon and sprinkled the stars across the sky.

Hinata felt anticipation bubbling in his chest. The whole room could feel it, the build up for a moment that was inevitable. Someone didn’t go off on a long romantic tangent like this unless they had something planned. 

There was a soft gasp as Goshiki made his way down onto one knee in front of Natsu. She cupped a hand over her mouth, tears now freely falling down her cheeks. 

“And I hope to spend the rest of my life showing you just how grateful I am. Hinata Natsu, will you marry me?” There was no hesitation. In the blink of an eye Natsu launched herself into her boyfriend’s arms—smothering him in a kiss. 

The entire room erupted into cheer around the happy couple. Both of them were crying freely now as Goshiki slipped the delicate gold ring onto Natsu’s finger. It was a beautiful moment, but for some reason Hinata felt sick. 

Quickly, he dislodged himself from the comfort of Kageyama’s side and slipped out one of the side doors. The cool night air instantly brought him relief, easing restless itch crawling underneath his skin. 

Hinata hadn’t missed the way Kageyama’s face lit up at the proposal. How genuinely happy and excited he had looked for two people he had just met. Hinata wanted that look to be directed at him. He wanted to be the one standing in front of Kageyama, bowing down onto one knee. He wanted his whole family cheering for them.

It was selfish he knew. His little sister was now engaged to an amazing person—the love of her life—and was about to embark on what would hopefully be the happiest journey of her life, and yet here he was green with envy in the garden. 

He never should have asked Kageyama to come. It filled his brain with too many what ifs, too many wishes, too much hope that he knew would never lead to anything substantial. 

Hinata made his way over to the edge of one of the koi ponds and sat down in the frosty grass. The night air was cold, and the wind bit at his skin, but he didn’t care. Listlessly, he stared into the frozen water—barely able to make out the sluggish movements of the orange and yellow scales of fish underneath the ice. 

“Hey, dumbass it's cold. What are you doing out here?” Hinata looked up at Kageyama’s scowling face. He rubbed his arms—clearly already feeling the bite of the chilly winter air—but still he settled onto the frozen grass next to Hinata. 

Hinata couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth. The wine had loosened his tongue, and alcohol had already gotten him into this mess, so he might as well dig his hole a little deeper. His emotions pounded against his chest and demanded to be let free—only once they hung in the frosty air would they find peace. 

“Why did you come with me? Don’t you have your own family to spend the holidays with?” Kageyama was silent for a moment, and his expression was pensive. Hinata worried he might have crossed a line; Kageyama had done him a favor, who was he to question his motives?

“I was raised by my grandfather. Both my parents died in a car accident when I was two, so I don’t remember them much. I still had a great childhood. He was my best friend. He taught me how to play volleyball, he even coached my highschool team. When I told him I wanted to go into journalism, he did nothing but support me even though my teachers told me I could never make a career out of it.” Kageyama let out a soft almost pained laugh.

Hinata wasn’t drunk enough to notice Kageyama spoke in the past tense. He began mentally punching himself for being so insensitive. 

“He had my first real article hung up on the wall. It was some stupid piece for my college’s newspaper—I think I wrote about how the cafeteria was changing the companies they ordered onigiri from, but he was so proud of me. Five years ago he died of pancreatic cancer. I don’t really have any family left, so I typically spend the holidays alone. I’ll visit his grave and Christmas day, but for the most part I just use the time to get some extra work done.” A gentle smile spread across Kageyama’s face. It wobbled at the edges and Hinata felt his chest constrict. 

“You know I’m not really a people person.” Kageyama shot Hinata a withered glare when he let out a loud snort in response. 

“And I feel really pathetic saying this, but you’re kind of my first real friend. There are a few people from college I still keep in touch with, but for some reason you’re...different. You came into my life like some wild neon orange wrecking ball and forced your way into my space. At first I hated you for it, but now….it's kind of nice I guess, not being alone all the time. You just make things easy. You don’t hide the way you’re feeling or lie to me, and I know no matter what you’ll always have my back.” 

The way Kageyama was looking at him right now—so tender and honest—made Hinata sick to his stomach. The guilt and shame bubbled in his throat, bitter and burning against the back of his tongue. Everything Kageyama had just said was a lie. He was hiding what he was feeling, and he had spent the entire evening lying straight to Kageyama’s face. 

“Your family is the same way. They’re so sincere and warm that you can’t help but feel welcome. Tonight is the most fun I’ve had in awhile, so thank you for inviting me.” Hinata wanted to crawl into the hole he had been digging himself into all night and never emerge. He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve Kageyama’s kind words and thanks. 

It was too much, everything raging inside of his head—the voices telling him that he was terrible for manipulating Kageyama. He had trusted Hinata, and all Hinata had done in response was take that delicate gift and crush it in his palm. 

Hinata scrambled up off the grass. 

“I can’t do this anymore.” His voice trembled, and this time it wasn’t the frosty air around them that caused it, but instead the icy cold dread that dripped down his spine. He knew that he had to come clean, confess everything to Kageyama, and when he was done he would grovel at his feet and pray that he was given forgiveness.

“Hey, Shou what’s wrong?” Kageyama stood up off the ground, and looked at him with a worried expression. A gentle hand came up and brushed away the tears streaming down his cheeks. Hinata felt his heart shatter. 

“You’re wrong about me! I’ve been lying to you all night!” A confused expression washed over Kageyama’s face, and his hand fell down at his side. Now that they began tumbling out of his mouth, the words became an avalanche, and all Hinata could do was get swept up in the disaster. 

“I thought that I could do this. That I could pretend that we were a couple and fake it the whole night, but I can’t. I can’t keep stringing you along like this.” Hinata’s words were hiccups between sobs. 

“You put all of your trust in me and all I’ve done is betray you. You deserve so much better Kageyama. On the surface you may seem like a big jerk.” Kageyama’s face fell into a scowl. “But really you’re so sweet and thoughtful and you deserve someone who will take care of you and treasure you.” Hinata scrunched his eyes closed and balled his hands into white knuckled fists. 

There was no turning back now. 

“I’ve been lying to you all night because I don’t want this to be fake! I want this, _us_ , to be real, and I have ever since Korea. When my friends mentioned bringing a fake date, the first person I thought of was you because you’re the only person I’ve wanted something more with.” His heart pounded in his chest, branding the back of his rips with every beat. 

“When we first started planning this, I thought I could handle it just being an act—that I could bury my feelings deep inside of me and pretend like they didn’t exist, but seeing you here….I couldn’t stop myself from imagining what I would be like if it were real. And then you said all of those wonderful things, and I realized how terrible I was for lying to you.” Hinata hung his head, the weight of his guilt too heavy for him to hold any longer. 

He heard Kageyama click his tongue, and then two gentle hands cupped his face, forcing his gaze back up to meet the intense stare of two inky blue eyes. 

Loud clapping and cheering accompanied by the sounds of popping and bells distracted them, and their attention was pulled to the commotion inside the main house. 

“It must be midnight. Make your Christmas wish.” Hinata said breathless, his voice unsteady. The warmth of Kageyama’s palms seeped into his skin, the heat flowing through him from the top of his head all the way down to the tips of his toes. He wanted to lean into the touch, to press himself into Kageyama’s embrace, but he didn’t dare. 

Kageyama gave him a small smile, leaning in slowly. Hinata could feel his breath fan against his cheeks. It smelled like the gingerbread cookies he had been eating inside. 

All Hinata could do was stand frozen as Kageyama stopped, just a few measly centimeters between them now.

“My wish already came true.” Hinata felt the words better than he heard them as Kageyama pressed them against his lips. 

The kiss was gentle. It was fuzzy around the edges and steeped with sweetness. It thawed the icy air between them like a warm mug of hot coco did on a chilly winter evening. Hinata felt himself get lost in the pleasantness, quickly intoxicated on the taste of the other. It was all he could do to grip onto the edges of Kageyama’s sweater and pull himself close, fearful he might float away if he broke the contact. 

In that moment, the universe only consisted of the heated air between their heart beats. The world around them faded away, and they wrapped themselves snuggly in each other, content to bask in the warmth forever. Neither noticed the frosty flakes of snow that nestled in their hair and melted across their cheeks. 

As the clock struck midnight, Hinata couldn’t help but think that maybe wishing upon a star wasn’t just a childish fantasy because here, now, in this moment, the only thing he had ever wished for had finally come true. 

(GUYS LOOK AT THIS AMAZING ART [AINU](https://twitter.com/ainudraws) DREW!!! Please go follow them and support them!!!!)


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1 year later <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm sorry this took me so long, but here are our doofuses 1 year later! Enjoy <3

The earth had turned —lazily drifting on its axis—and with it, it dragged the seasons. Winter blossomed into spring, which caught fire in summer, only to be smothered by the cool breeze of autumn. Now, the icy tendrils of winter had once again wrapped themselves around Japan, and Hinata found himself standing in the exact same spot he was 365 days prior. 

He had a sense of déjà vu — a year ago today he had the same acidic taste of bile rising in the back of his throat as the streets of Kyoto whipped by, but then it had been because of his scheme and web of lies he had created. This year, Kageyama’s hand rested comfortably on his own as they sat in a pleasant silence, but this sent Hinata spiraling into a whole new dilemma.

“Why are you so jittery?” Kageyama sent him a halfhearted glare. Hinata froze. 

“Jittery? I’m not jittery? What do you mean? I’m fine, 100%  _ reeelaaaaxed _ .” Hinata pointedly turned his head towards the window, refusing to look Kageyama in the eyes. Kageyama must have written it off under “Normal Dumbass Behavior” and let it go because he didn’t push the issue any further. 

Hinata did his best to wrangle in his nerves. He had worked hard to plan this and he wasn’t going to let himself crash and burn when he was so close to the finish line. 

_ “Get it together Shouyou,”  _ he chastised himself silently. 

The taxi gently settled to a stop,letting them out at the end of a familiar driveway. They trudged their way up the steps towards the warm flickering lights in the distance. Once they were in sight of the house the front doors flew open. 

“Kageyama!” Natsu ran down the last few steps and flung herself into his arms. 

Kageyama had barely enough time to drop the bag in his hands and catch her — stumbling backwards a few steps at the sudden force. Hinata’s face pulled into a pout. 

“Hello, yes, your older brother, your  **_flesh and blood_ ** is also here thank you.” Natsu stuck her tongue out at Hinata, but nonetheless removed herself from Kageyama’s embrace and wrapped him into a warm hug. 

“Hi, Shou. No need to get all pouty. It’s not Kageyama’s fault everyone likes him better.” Hinata rolled his eyes and pinched her arm, causing her to jump back and kick a bit of snow at him. Yes, they’re both legal adults believe it or not. 

Just last week, he had accompanied her, their mother, and a slew of Natsu’s friends from college, wedding dress shopping. Seeing his baby sister standing on the pedestal, dressed in long white lace, as the attendant draped the veil over her face —well, to say  he bawled his eyes out would be an understatement. 

When they separated, his sister gave him a knowing wink, before pushing both him and Kageyama towards the door. 

“Stop loitering! It's freezing out here!” Hinata wanted to tell her that  _ she  _ was the one who came outside, but stayed quiet as she ushered them inside. 

The trio walked into the home, feet settling against the familiar plush tatami mats. The house was full of light laughter and warm smiles, but Hinata couldn’t help but feel like everything looked a little more dim this year.

He spotted his grandfather sitting with one of his uncles, but the familiar wispy head of red hair accompanied by a playful smile wasn’t seated next to him. 9 months did little to ease the pain —the fissure left in his heart hadn’t even begun to heal — but if Hinata closed his eyes he could feel her there with them. Her presence floated through the rooms, mingling with the joyous atmosphere. While she may have left them physically—she would never truly be gone. 

A warm reassuring hand ran down his back, and Hinata looked up to a worried expression washing across Kageyama’s face.

“I’m okay,” he whispered softly , giving Kageyama’s arm a soft squeeze. Walking through the house and hugging his family was muscle memory. Everytime he pulled away from an aunt or uncle they shared a wry smile. All their hearts ached with her absence, but they knew she wouldn’t want them moping around during her favorite holiday. Hinata could almost hear her yelling at them all to liven up. 

Having Kageyama there helped. He was a steady presence —an anchor in the choppy waters of Hinata’s raging emotions. 

They dropped their bags off in one of the upstairs bedrooms before coming back into the main rooms to mingle with the rest of the family. 

The house was bright, and if an outsider was peering in it would look like a joyful occasion, but Hinata could tell something was  _ off _ . Everyone kept unconsciously calling for Miko, or looking for her figure as she weaved through the crowd. 

It just wasn’t the  _ same _ without her there. 

Hinata halfheartedly sipped at his wine as he wondered mindlessly throughout the rooms. As he settled into the atmosphere, things started to get easier. 

The younger kids ran throughout the house, their shrieks of glee echoing down the halls, and like a strong wind sweeping away the shadows of past memories. His uncles’ voices began to rise with every sip of sake as they played cards in the corner. His aunties still gossiped in the kitchen as they slapped away grabby hands that were trying to snatch another cookie off the counter. 

Bits and pieces started to slot into place, and soon he found himself smiling and laughing just as brightly as he had years prior. They all sat around the room and retold their favorite tales of Hinata Miko and the hell she had raised during her 89 years on earth. 

It was nice. 

Hinata looked over at Kageyama, who was seated at the kids table coloring a little paper gingerbread man, and felt his heart swell until it threatened to crack his ribs. 

It was all so surreal to him. 

This time last year he had been sitting in this position, overcome with guilt for lying about his feelings, terrified that he would lose the fragile relationship he had with Kageyama, and now here he was with the weight of forever sitting square on his shoulders. 

It had only been a year but Hinata just  _ knew _ . For his entire life he had been listening to stories of how his grandparents and parents had fallen in love. He had watched Natsu and Goshiki’s relationship blossom from high school sweethearts to fiancés. 

There was something — a feeling that had settled deep in his bones — that told him Kageyama was the one. They fit together too perfectly, moved so seamlessly, and now that Hinata had him, he couldn’t picture a life without Kageyama by his side. 

Tanaka and Noya liked to make fun of him. They called him a sap and a lovesick fool. Hinata would just roll his eyes and tell them that it was amazing what love did to someone. 

How it helped you find all the colors of the rainbow hidden within the gray hues of everyday life. In even the most mundane moments, Hinata still found himself enamoured with Kageyama, and the worst days were made brighter with a single touch. 

Their relationship had already moved fast. At one month, Hinata blurted out I love you after they had played a pick-up volleyball match together at the gym and Kageyama sent him the perfect toss seamlessly. The stinging against his palm and the reverberation of the smack of leather against the hardwood floors had overwhelmed him, and when he looked back to see the wide smile on Kageyama’s face and stars in his eyes, the words just tumbled out. 

Five months later they moved in together. Kageyama’s lease was up and it just felt like the logical next step. Neither of them were phased by the sudden closeness —slotting into each other’s lives like they had always been there. 

Before Kageyama, Hinata had always worried about finding  _ the one _ . His entire family had been fortunate enough to find someone who, for all intents and purposes, was perfect for them. The pressure he felt to find someone who lived up to that expectation—someone who would grow old and gray with him decades down the line — it was terrifying.

When Hinata looked at Kageyama he saw his future. He saw sleepy morning kisses, fights over whose turn it was to do the dishes, a thumb to wipe away the tears, a shoulder to lean on when things got tough. 

He knew that what they shared wasn’t some fleeting phase, or a fickle whimsy of the heart—it was real and all encompassing. Through the ups and downs, twists and turns, highs and lows; Hinata would always stay steadfast by Kageyama’s side. 

And he knew the opposite was true as well.

Blue eyes looked up and caught his gaze. Settled in their depths was Hinata’s whole world, and like the galaxies in the sky, it was ever expanding. As they grew and reached new heights, the universe shifted and changed around them, but Hinata took solace in knowing that there would always be one constant in his life.

Kageyama.

Ok maybe he was a lovesick fool, sue him. 

If you had someone in your life as amazing as Kageyama Tobio you’d never shut up about them either. 

The weight of the ring felt heavy in Hinata’s pocket. 

Over the past year they had pushed and pulled each other from rocky bottoms, to soaring new heights, and Hinata wanted to show the world that he was ready to take on this journey forever. 

His heart started to thump erratically in his chest. Anxiety rooted itself inside his ribcage, and blossomed like cherry blossoms in spring, until his lungs were overflowing with petals. 

He shouldn’t be scared. Kageyama loved him. They loved each other. He would say yes.

But there was that small voice echoing in the back of his head, telling him that there was no such thing as a guarantee in this game called life. 

The air in the room felt suffocating—sitting like sludge in his lungs — no matter how hard he heaved the tar wouldn’t push through his veins. The friendly chatter of the room grew, until it pounded painfully in his skull and rattled his teeth. 

He couldn’t take it. He needed to get out of here.  _ Now _ .

Hinata politely excused himself from the table and bobbed and weaved through the crowd, until he reached the back door of the house. The fresh air was a blessing—washing over him like a cool rain on a hot summer day. 

The frozen grass crunched under his feet as he wandered aimlessly into the gardens. Flashbacks of a younger version of himself dashed in and out of the bushes. The sound of his grandmother’s laughter echoed through the still air. 

A thin layer of ice had crawled across the top of the ponds, but Hinata could still make out hazy orange blobs still moving lazily under the surface. He picked up a stick and started to poke holes into the sheet, just allowing his mind to go blissfully blank for a few precious moments. 

“Shou what are you doing out here? It’s freezing.” Hinata turned to find the cause of his inner turmoil walking through the grass towards him, extra coat in hand. Wordlessly, Kageyama blanketed Hinata in the navy wool and the bite of the chill dulled. 

“I just needed a few minutes to breath.” Kageyama’s expression softened. He reached out and grabbed Hinata’s hand—thumb rubbing gently against frigid knuckles. His own were still warm from being inside, and the heat sunk into Hinata’s skin — soothing the ache from the cold. 

“This has to be hard for you —f or all of you —c elebrating without her here.” Hinata let out a shaky breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His body moved on its own—stepping forward and sinking into the now familiar scent of eucalyptus and mint. A smell that Hinata had very quickly began to associate with  _ home _ .

“I know she wouldn’t want us to grieve, but it’s so  _ hard _ when all I do is think about her.” Hot tears thawed rosey cheeks. Kageyama’s arms wrapped around his shoulders.

“You can still miss her and honor her legacy. Being sad and being happy aren’t mutually exclusive. You’re allowed to feel both at the same time.” For someone who was so terrible with words, Kageyama had his moments where something eloquent left his lips. They were fleeting, something more precious than the wonders of the world, but they always seemed to appear when Hinata needed them most. 

Hinata propped his chin up on Kageyama’s chest to gaze up into the eyes that he looked into every morning, and the last thing he saw before he went to sleep. 

They had never grown less breath taking. 

“You wanna know what makes me happy?” Kageyama let out a soft hum in response. 

“You.” This caused a more pronounced reaction. A crimson flush crept along pale cheeks and crawled up to the tips of his ears. Kageyama rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue—looking up and over so he wouldn’t have to see the smug smirk on Hinata’s lips. 

“You’re such a sap,” he teased. But there was no bite to his words. Hinata gently tugged himself out of Kageyama’s grasp. 

Earlier this week he had asked his father advice on when to propose. Goshiki had done it in front of the entire family, but Kageyama was shy, and Hinata had a feeling he would appreciate a quieter moment more than a grandiose event. He didn’t want to wait until after Christmas because it was the thing that brought them together, but also he wanted to do it for his grandmother. After everything they had lost this year, he wanted to remember her with a smile on his face, not tears in his eyes. 

This moment. Hinata felt every second of the last year hit him like a sledgehammer to the chest. It was all building up to where they stood now. 

“It’s true though. Tobio, I love you. God, I love you so much sometimes I can’t stand it. It swells up in my chest and makes me feel.” Hinata ran a hand through his hair as he grasped for words that properly explained the all encompassing love he felt for his boyfriend. “ _ GWAH!  _ Or like it hits me with a  _ POW _ .” Kageyama arched an eyebrow but said nothing, having learned to decode Hinata rambling over the past year. 

“Some days I’m so overwhelmed by it that I want to scream it at the top of my lungs because just saying it in a normal voice isn’t enough. A year ago you agreed to be my fake date, and never in a million years did I think that that stupid plan would lead me down a path that has made me happier than I could ever imagine.” Hinata stopped and took a deep breath. 

It was now or never. 

He reached down into his pocket and felt his fingers clasp around the small bag (A box would have been too conspicuous! Honestly, they need to make them more pocket friendly. Who the hell wouldn’t notice a giant rectangular bulge in someone’s pocket!). Kageyama’s eyes were laser focused on every movement, and he stood ridgid as Hinata pulled the black bag out of his jeans. 

“Spending this last year with you has been the greatest experience of my life and I know some people might think it's too fast, but Tobio when I look at you I just  _ know _ . You’re my best friend, my rival, my  _ home _ . So I guess what I’m trying to ask is...Will you ma-”

“WAIT STOP!” The words froze in Hinata’s throat. Dread dropped like a dumbbell into the pit of his stomach. The world seemed to stop turning, and for a few moments Hinata felt the universe crash down at his feet—shattering like glass and impaling him with every jagged edge. 

Kageyama fumbled with the pocket on the inside of his jacket but Hinata was too numb to register any of the movement. 

He had been wrong, and now he was going to have to walk back into the house and pretend that every dream he had been foolish enough to wish would come true hadn’t just burst into flames. 

“Shouyou.” Hinata’s eyes refocused and looked over at Kageyama. It took him a few moments to register what was sitting in the other man’s outstretched hand. 

Small. Rectangular. Wrapped in red velvet. A box. A small box. What went into boxes that small? Hinata didn’t wear earrings. A ring. Rings were small. Hinata could wear a ring. 

The air grew thin. 

“I..is that.” Words were a foreign concept. Really, it was astounding that the human race had managed to create so many unique and complex ways to communicate, but now that wonder was lost on Hinata. 

Kageyama flipped open the lid and nestled inside white silk was a silver ring but through the center laid a thin strip of gold. 

The gods must be toying with them now. 

Hinata fumbled with the drawstrings of his bag and shook it until he felt the solid weight of a ring in his palm. 

It was black but running right through the center was a strip of gold. 

Not the exact same, but two different echos of the same thought. Just like them—two separate beats of the same heart. 

“No fucking way,” Kageyama said breathlessly. Hinata couldn't help but throw his head back with a laugh. Ah yes, this was the connoisseur of words he had fallen in love with.

Now that it had started, Hinata couldn’t stop. It rumbled through his chest and bubbled past his lips until he was hunched over clutching his stomach. His abs ached and tears ran down his cheeks, but the overwhelming happiness he felt right now would surely cause his heart to combust if he didn’t let it escape somehow. 

Kageyama stared at him with bewilderment, but soon laughter began to erupt from him like a fountain, and they looked like a pair of idiots giggling in the freezing cold together. 

A chorus of loud cheering and clapping from the house drew their attention. Hinata felt like he was floating — electricity buzzing under his skin and racing through his veins. 

“It must be midnight. Make your Christmas wish.” 

Like two magnets drawn together, they stepped forward until they were chest to chest. Wordlessly, Kageyama took Hinata’s hand in his own and slipped the silver ring onto his finger; Hinata mirrored the action with the ring he clutched in his palm. His heart fluttered when he saw them glittering in the soft light together. 

“My wish has already come true.” Kageyama raised his hands to cup Hinata’s cheeks, and when they kissed it was more teeth than lips, but nothing could keep the smile from splitting Hinata’s cheeks. 

As he stood in the moonlight, he hoped Miko was looking down at them from her seat upon one of the twinkling stars. She might not be here with them physically, but her love still lives on with every beat of his heart, and now Hinata gets to share with Kageyama for the rest of his life. 

All it took was a little bit of liquid luck, a harebrained scheme, and a lot of love for Hinata’s Christmas wish to come true. It wasn’t a fairytale romance, but it was perfect because it was theirs.

“I love you.” In that moment he didn’t feel the frosty air around them, or the gentle falling of snow dusting his cheeks in hair, because when Kageyama brought Hinata’s hand up to his lips and kissed the cool metal around his finger, all he could think about was how much he adored the man in front of him. 

The night was cold — Hinata’s heart was anything but — and he couldn’t wait for next Christmas, or the one after that, or the one after that, because he’s be spending them all with Kageyama by his side, and that was the best present he could ever ask for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come hang out with me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/a_very_smolfrog) for updates on the fic, haikyuu brain rot, and other shenanigans.

**Author's Note:**

> As always thank you so much for reading <3 
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/a_very_smolfrog) for updates on the fic, haikyuu brain rot, and other shenanigans.
> 
> Happy Holidays!


End file.
